The Emperor's Empress
by Saphiress
Summary: After spotting Sanada in a...unusal position Niou begins to question his theory of the tennis club member's sexuality, to add Yukimura's childhood friend returns, and as Marui grows close to her, he begins to learn the depth of her past scars
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

Niou cringed at the memory. He'd forgotten his wig in his club room locker and had to return to Rikkai High school to retrieve it.

It was long after tennis club activities were over, he had expected the Captain or Vice-Captain to be still at school so he wasn't surprised to find the light to the changing rooms still on. Many things told him something was off, there was a pink sweatband on the floor and a country road bag beside it, Niou could hear a quiet groan echoing from inside the changing room. Quietly, Niou snuck up to the door to spot Sanada-fukbucho's hat lying neglected on the floor with a strapless lace bra beside it.

_Is the Fukbucho into that sort of hobby?_ Was Niou first reaction until he realised that Sanada was not alone, leaning against the locker door his shirt unbuttoned while his fingers found its way under his companion's shirt. He couldn't see her face as Sanada caressed her neck with his tongue. Suddenly they shift positions and she was now the one pinned against the locker door and there, she spotted him. Niou bolted out the changing room and off the Rikkai Campus, if Sanada had realised he spotted him in such a manner, he was dead.

The memory her chocolate brown eyes fixed in his brain he gently knocked his head repeatedly against the nearest tree, not from what he saw, but from the fact that there was a chance that Sanada had lost his virginity before he did… It was 'Sanada' after all…Sanada of all people…

**Chapter 1**

"That was horrible," stated Yukimura as Marui and Kuwahara finished their match, they'd won 6-0 but Yukimura was still unhappy. "You took too long."

"Blame Marui for mucking about too much," remarked Kuwahara wiping his skull.

"It's my fault!?" exclaimed Marui as his green bubble popped.

"Both of you 10 laps now you don't deserve a break," said Yukimura.

"Hai!" The two third years ran to do their laps.

"Is something wrong Niou?" asked Yagyuu pushing up his glasses. Niou looked at him and frowned.

"No, why?"

"Your oddly quiet, that's all," replied Yagyuu.

Niou shrugged. _Who was Sanada with last night?_

"Hey Kirihara!" shouted Niou.

"What senpai?"

"You have a girlfriend right?"

"Yeah," was the bored reply.

"So, have you two had any roaming in the forbidden garments?" asked Niou. Kirihara blushed.

"I don't see how it's any of your business!" he remarked.

"I'm not even going to ask," said Yagyuu walking away despite his words he was curious on why Niou asked Kirihara so.

* * *

"Hey Strategist!" said Niou as he walked toward Yanagi who was drinking from the taps.

"Hmm?" Niou put an arm over his shoulder and whispered in his ear.

"Does Sanada have a…" he trailed off, the mere though was hilarious. The word Sanada and girlfriend should never be used in the same sentence, then again he too was only human, to some extent, he had needs but Niou always assumed he and Yukimura was like Yagyuu and himself.

"A what?"

"Girlfriend," Niou mouthed.

"Why?" Niou didn't want to tell him, he was afraid he'd tell Yukimura or worse Sanada himself.

"Nothing just…"

"He's straight if you're wondering," replied Yanagi taking another sip of water.

"What!? No, why do you assume-!?"

"Your voice is 75% higher than usual, something happened I assume then," Niou just nodded. "You don't want to tell me?" Niou shock his head. "I see… what ever it is it has kept you quiet all morning." Niou nodded. "So you're _not_ in love with Genichiro." Niou shock his head. "I see…" mused Yanagi. There was a pause as Yanagi deliberated. "Well, I see no harm in telling you, but yes, Genichiro has a girlfriend, but it's hard to tell they're dating, the most they do in public is hold hands or a kiss on the cheek. Sometimes I think he's using her as a cover to hide the fact that he's really homo-"

_Homo my arse,_ though Niou. _Damn it, she saw me saw them, I'm so dead what if she tells Sanada-fucbucho! Shit…better make my will now, wish I at least told him I-_

"Hurry!" shouted Kuwahara running towards them. "Something incredible is happening at the court!"

* * *

"What!? How is think possible?" remarked Niou as the three reached the tennis courts.

Kirihara was loosing the match 5 games to love, his opponent a tall slim female no more than a year older that Sanada. She had long black hair that was clipped up, brown eyes and a delicate nose. She wore an oversized grey t-shirt with a black belt around her waist and black shorts, 4 inch high Mary Jane pumps made from patent leather and a pair of white gold hoops.

"Akaya has never lost this badly since first year," whispered Yanagi. "Incredible."

Kirihara threw the ball in the air and served, she hit the ball back and although it looked like a normal return Akaya could not return, it slipped right past him under his racket.

"She's aiming for his pressure points," stated Yanagi.

"Pressure points?"

"The human body has over 720 pressure points, when one is pressed it can increase and improve a person's head or decrease it," explained Yanagi. "When she hits the ball Akaya shifts his body to return it, but when he does that it puts pressure on different pressure points in his body causing his muscles to twitch shifting his arm centimetres, no millimetres even. But that tiny shift can change the balls trajectory even his ability to prepare himself for the next return."

"And she can see that from the other end of the court during a match?" remarked Kuwahara. "Hard to believe."

Kirihara served against, when the female returned the ball he ran towards the ball once more just as he swung to return the ball he tangled his feet together causing him to fall and hit the ground.

"Not good!" said Kuwahara. True enough when Kirihara stood up, his eyes were bloodshot.

"Not good we have to stop this," said Yagyuu. "To let a lady get hurt is ungentle men behaviour." As he walked towards the court Yukimura grabbed his elbow.

"She can handle herself," he said sitting down.

Kirihara squeezed the ball in his hand, he threw it in the air and served, it bounced towards her and towards her face, she ducked just in time but the ball grazed her right cheek.

"To aim for a lady's face," Yagyuu shock his head as he pushed up his glasses.

"Akaya just got his first point in the entire match," said Yukimura. Kirihara served again, this time his opponent was prepared, the fact he was aiming for body gave her knowledge on where the ball would bounce, and sure enough it was towards the face once more. She quickly shifted her weight and returned the ball in the form of a lob.

"Impressive footwork," admired Marui. Kirihara laugh as he jumped.

"This one's to you!" he shouted slamming the ball with all his strength. The ball hit her square in the stomach sending her flying back a fair few meters.

"Looks like she hit her head …Is she alright?" asked Marui. Kirihara's opponent lied on the court, with her left hand over her stomach, not moving.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Lenali!" exclaimed Yukimura standing up. Sanada hurried onto the court and lifted her head off the floor.

"She's fine, just a concussion," he said, just as he picked her up she stirred and opened her eyes.

"Put me down," she insisted. "What on earth are you doing? The match hasn't ended." Sanada let her go and she stood up. "Impressive," she admitted, bending down she flinched as she picked up her racket. Sanada sat down next to Yukimura.

Lenali stood near the base line waiting for Kirihara to serve once more. Kirihara took an easy 5 games from her; she threw the ball up in the air and served.

"Too easy," remarked Kirihara returning the ball, she swung her racket with such speed the ball was almost like a puppet on a string.

_If I don't go all out I'm going to end up looking like a panda,_ though Lenali. She closed her eyes and inhaled. _Slowly, with quiet but strong knocks, open the door, little by little. Let every part of me be guild by the wind, the feeling of becoming the breeze itself. The wind is me, the wind's movement is my movement, the speed of the sound vibration is my speed, the wind's gentleness is my gentleness. _

"I see," remarked Yanagi from the sidelines. "It's not the pressure points itself she's pinpointing, but the nitrogen that surrounds them."

"Come again?" asked Kuwahara.

"Every human body's basic nerves system and blood circulation system is the same, some may shift slightly but the basic layout is identical. To understand her tennis first take this for example. In the ocean, when a person is 20 meters below sea level, a large amount of pressure in extended by the water on the lungs, forcing them to act like compressed gas cylinders with leaks. As you go deeper, the pressure increases and air rushes in and out of the body rapidly. At a depth like that the water's pressure is 3 times greater than the pressure of air at seal level. A large intake of oxygen at this depth will activate the brain and muscles as well as loosen the joints. However at this depth the most important factor is one to the human body that is normally completely harmless, the gas that makes up 70% of the earth's atmosphere…Nitrogen."

"So how does it affect her tennis?"

"Since the body is naturally saturated with Nitrogen, like the blood and nerve system it is spread out through the body is a similar manner, acupuncture works by pressing needles into the human body activating the Nitrogen in the pressure points. This means that at its limit just a little decompression will cause the nitrogen to be absorbed immediately. Through out the body especially in the joints, nitrogen bubbles will form. With the natural air collected in the joints the body's mobility is greatly increased. Smooth movement that goes beyond the natural human limits."

"I have no idea what you just said," confessed Niou.

"Basically, she's using the human body's natural reserve of nitrogen gas to improve her movements and cause twitching in her opponent?" asked Yagyuu. Marui began to twitch every few second which Kuwahara pretended to hit him with a racket.

"Basically," agreed Yanagi. "Adding on the fact that the female body's centre of gravity is high than a males, it's a straightforward technique similar to the one used by female ballerinas, in yoga and Pilates."

"I did Pilates and didn't get some super balance," remarked Marui once he stopped.

"You not fem- wait… I that back, your right it is a mystery," said Niou.

"I still don't get it," remarked Marui ignoring Niou while Yanagi ignored him.

"Just watch," said Yukimura. "I haven't seen her use that technique since she played against Sanada."

"Who won?" asked Marui.

"Sanada won 6 games to 3," replied Yukimura. "But he had to use In and Rai." Sanada's eyebrow twitched.

"Still, to take 3 matches from Sanada is quiet impressive," admitted Yanagi.

Lenali threw the ball in the air, she bent her body backwards and as the ball fell she sprang up and hit the ball.

"Serve ace! Game to Lenali, 6 games all! 13 point tie-breaker!" shouted the self proclaimed 3rd year referee.

"She's sweating a lot," noted Marui.

_Damn it! This technique doesn't have much stamina and that smash from earlier… _thought Lenali, she was having trouble standing and her eyesight was getting blurry from her fatigue. "Ref! I forfeit!"

"What!" the blood faded from Kirihara's eyes. "Wait what! You can't just-! You can't!"

"I can, and I did it's your win", said Lenali smiling. "I'm already broken." Her legs gave way; Yukimura caught her just in time and helped her to the coach's bench to sit. "I think he fractured several of my ribs," she said softly, Yukimura pressed gently at her side and she flinched.

"How long?" asked Yukimura. "How much longer do you have before-" he trailed off at the memory of the side effects of her technique.

"2 or 3 minutes," guessed Lenali.

"That's enough, Sanada carry her to the tennis club regular locker room," said Yukimura. Sanada was about to protest but kept his mouth shut, he lifted her in his arms and carried her.

"You've put on weight," he grunted.

"Shut up, have you played against Tezuka yet and won?" replied Lenali in the same tone.

"I don't want to hear that from someone who lost so badly against me," rebutted Sanada.

"Ha! _I_ don't want to hear that from the person who couldn't walk properly for days after the match due to the number of times you hit Rai," she said. The two glared at each other then looked away, Sanada had his usual sour expression while Lenali's bottom lip was turned.

"They-" began Marui.

"-don't seem to get along at all," finished Kuwahara.

"She'll properly slap him once she gets her strength back."

"80% chance."

"She walked off," said a disbelieved Kirihara. "She just _quit_ she can not do that! She…I…" he gave up finishing his sentenced and just stormed away.

"Oh my! Akaya's not happy," remarked Niou grinning.

"Of course not, his list of people to defeat just increased by one."

* * *

Sanada put her down in the bench inside the regular locker room, handing her a towel she wiped the sweat from her face and neck. Suddenly she felt the joint in her wrist pop back into place and dropped the towel. Her technique worked by her body releasing extreme amounts of nitrogen into her joints granting her flexibility beyond compare. But when the nitrogen began to dissolve and her joints began to pop back into place it always caused her great pain.

"You okay?" asked Sanada, Lenali nodded and stood up, pushing Sanada out of the room she closed and locked the door. "Hey!"

"I'm going to change!" replied Lenali; luckily she had left her tennis bag in the locker room on Yukimura's advice with her change of clothes inside. "Just go!" The joints in her leg suddenly popped and she fell down onto the floor.

"Oi! Lenali?! You okay!?" asked Sanada. _Is she wrestling with her t-shirt?_

"Fine!" replied Lenali leaning against the door, pain rippling her joints. She felt her ankle began to pop back into place as the nitrogen bubbles dissolved. "Just-" She gasped in pain. "Damn it," she cursed sweat covered her forehead and body. She twitched and turned as the pain spread from her hips to her back, she gasped as she felt her joints crack with her every movement.

Sanada began to knock on the door. "Lenali! Open up!"

"I'm Fine," she insisted but her voice cracked giving her away. Suddenly the pain spread to her chest she panted in pain and clenched her torso. She could hear keys on the other side of the door, Sanada unlocked it and pushed it open forcing Lenali to shift aside he closed the door behind him and lock the door.

"This happened the last time you used the 'Thorn road'," stated Sanada. "Yukimura saw it then didn't he?" Lenali just nodded. "I see now why it's called the 'Thorn road'; your body receives the amount of damage you deal no matter how weak or strong the opponent." Lenali nodded again, Sanada put an arm over her shoulder and brought her closer to him.

What are you doing?" asked Lenali.

"If you're distracted the pain will lessen," explained Sanada leaning forward he kissed her forehead, then her neck.

"I come back from China for 2 day and you've already maul me once."

"It was a full moon, human desires that are usually suppressed are acted upon on spur of the moment," replied Sanada kissing her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Niou looked down at his desk; there was nothing on it not even a text book. At the centre he wrote 'Sanada' then 'Yukimura' beside it with his mind, he drew a invisible that joint them, he then drew a line that split the table in half. Marui, Akaya, Kuwahara and Yanagi on one side, Yukimura, Sanada, Yagyuu and himself on the other. One side the straights, the other the homosexuals.

In his mind he then moved Sanada to the other side leaving the tally at 5 to 3. If he was wrong about Sanada he could have been wrong about the others as well. Sanada was straight; he had assumed he and Yukimura could be straight as well. Niou pictured Yukimura with a girl; it was hard to tell who was who. Niou shock his head and rested it against the desk, now he was unsure of where everyone stood.

_* * *_

_Okay! Time for secret practice!_ Thought Marui as he snuck away from the tennis courts to his favourite practice spot. It was secluded are near the back of the Art block, cut off by trees, if Marui wasn't looking for a quiet place to practice he himself would had disregarded the area.

But it was already taken, he peeped around the corner to see who was there. Lenali, the girl who'd lost to Kirihara the day before was hitting a ball against the wall with incredible speed and accuracy.

_Hmm? Not bad, could give me a run for my money against my genius,_ Marui leaned sideways for a better view but fell over and hit the floor. "Uncool," he muttered. Lenali caught the ball and held out her hand. "Thanks," said Marui taking her hand and standing up. "So! You dare take this genius's training spot."

Lenali looked at him a bit shock but then giggled. "Umm…sorry? How am I supposed to respond to that?" Marui spotted a paper box near her tennis bag.

"If there's cake in there you can reply me by giving me a slice," he suggested. Lenali just shook her head, walking towards her belongs she sat down on the grass and signalled for Marui to sit with her.

"Here," she opened the box revealing several slices of cake all individually wrapped and decorated.

"You're seriously giving me some?" asked Marui, he pictured Niou pulling the cake away from him at the last moment.

"It was a gift from some guy," she shrugged. Marui took a piece and took a bite. "This way I can see if it was drugged before I take a piece." Marui almost choked. "Kidding, it was a welcome home gift from Seii-nii. It's no fun eating cake by myself." Lenali took a piece of cake from the white box and took a bite. "Not bad, but the flour they used wasn't right."

Marui looked at her with new light, she knew cake?! "Yeah, and the sugar didn't dissolve in the batter but melted during the baking, the flavour's not spread out evenly." Lenali nodded in agreement.

"Favourite flavour?" she asked him taking another bite.

"Raspberry mouse cake with layers of jelly and raspberry puree, you?" questioned Marui.

"Japanese green tea lava cake and Sacherotorte," she replied Lenali. Marui nodded in approval at her taste. He reached into the box and took another piece of the German chocolate cake.

"So why did you transfer to Rikkai?" he asked. She had appeared suddenly and without warning, Yukimura didn't mention any of his relatives transferring.

"It's… complicated," replied Lenali.

"I can keep up; I am genius after all."

Lenali chuckled. "Alright then hotshot, my parents are going through a divorce, so my aunt and uncle offered to let me stay with them."

"Doesn't sound complicated."

"It is once you take the inheritance into account," replied Lenali. "My grandfather recently wrote a will that his wealth would be split evenly among his grandchildren and when he dies if that child s still under 18 then their share will be under their guardian's control. So that's Seii-nii, me, Suzaku, Anita and Makoto, we'll each receive 20%."

"Still not complicated."

"My mum's a former stripper, so basically a gold digger; I was raised by people not related to me. Originally I was going to be in my father's custody but now my mum wants me," she explained. "My grandfather probably won't live until I turn 18 so she'll be set for life."

"Your moms a bi-" Marui held his tongue before his finished the sentence.

"No need to be so polite, it's turn, she goes around wearing short dresses and low cut tops to show off her boob job. She's 34 and still dresses like a 20 year old hooker."

"34?" Marui did the maths, Lenali was1 5 so 34 take away 15 was…19! "Your mum was 19 when she had you?"

"Yup," replied Lenali. "She tells everyone she's 29 but who has a kid when their 14? Well my mom…obviously." She sighed.

"Have you played tennis since you were little?" asked Marui changing the subject.

"Yeah, with Seii-nii and Bakada," replied Lenali.

"Bakada?"

"You know Sa-na-da, Ba-ka-da. It's such a perfect fit." Marui laughed.

"If he heard you you'd be running laps until you puke."

"But that's why you talk behind people's back," Lenali pointed out taking a bite of cake.

"Speaking of tennis, did you go to the hospital to check out that smash Akaya dealt you?"

"Yep," she put a hand on her ribcage. "3 fractured ribs and a very ugly bruise," she confirmed. "They tapped it up so I'll be fine, but that kid I was playing against, he's strong." Marui nodded in agreement. "To be honest, his tennis scares me."

"He's a creepy little git," agreed Marui, he reached into the box for another slice but it was empty. "Ah!"

"Seems like we finished the whole thing," stated Lenali taking a bite of the last piece of cake in her hand. Marui stared at her. "What?"

* * *

Marui smiled happily, in his hand a white box with the latest recipe from 'Antique Bakery' a cake store both he and Lenali frequently visited. A few weeks had past since she had transferred and in that time he and Lenali had gotten to know each other well.

Strange enough fan girls had not attack her once, it seemed Yukimura's power was beyond what everyone had though even Niou didn't try to pick her up. The captain had made one thing clear; no one touched even a hair on here. Marui was sure everyone didn't want to take the risk until that day. Lenali leaned against the brick wall with her arms around Sanada's neck, kissing him on the lips. Marui swallowed and quickly hid behind a tree.

She and Sanada never seemed to get along, always bickering from tennis style to dress sense especially the cap that Sanada always wore, she always had smug remarks ready to fly about the cap. They were never friendly, ever, unless they weren't taking. Marui snuck away when he bumped into Niou who also seemed to have the scene.

"What do we do?" was the first thing Marui said.

"If we tell, Sanada will kill us, if we don't Yukimura will kill us," replied Niou.

"So it comes down to whose hand do we want to be killed by?" Niou nodded. "I'd rather be killed by Sanada, one slash of his katana and we're gone, Yukimura will probably make us run to death or something."

"True," agreed Niou. "But there's a third choice."

"Which is?"

"We pretend we didn't see a thing."

"We'll go with that."

_So she and Sanada are_… thought Marui slightly upset, if he had the chance he would have asked her out.

_Why do I keep ending up in these situations?_ Questioned Niou. _What have done to deserve such karma?_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"Alright! Today's training is over!" shouted Sanada, there were cheers and sighs of relief from the tennis club members.

"Good work," said Yukimura, Sanada nodded.

"Oi Marui, want to go get something to eat?" asked Kuwahara.

"Sure, you guys want to come?" suggested Marui.

"Sure," replied Yagyuu, Niou nodded as did Yanagi.

"Shall we go?" asked Yukimura.

"You guys go," said Sanada. "I'm not in the mood."

"Shall we invite Yuki-chan?" asked Niou, his nickname for Yukimura Lenali, everyone called her by her first name or 'Yuki' as if they called her Yukimura two people's head would turn.

"Ask me what?" asked Lenali, she had a book in her hand and her school bag over on shoulder.

"Were you waiting for me?" asked Yukimura, she nodded.

"Want to come?" asked Kuwahara, only Marui and Niou noticed the exchange between Sanada and Lenali.

"No thanks," she replied. "Well, since you're going out, I'm not going to wait for you." Yukimura nodded as she waved goodbye and left.

"So, what are we getting?" asked Akaya.

* * *

Sanada took out his keys from his pocket and opened the front gate to his house; two hands covered his eyes from behind.

"Guess who," said Lenali. Sanada didn't bother and just turned around and kissed her. Sanada opened the front door for her, she took off her shoes and put them in her bag in case anyone visited she could sneak out the back undetected.

Sanada's family home was built in a traditional Japanese style with sliding doors and wooden floorboards. Lenali had been here quiet a few times but she found his house like a maze, almost every part of the place was identical. "I never liked this place, it's so…well…hard to describe", she said to Sanada sitting down on the floor of his room.

"We could go to your place," offered Sanada.

"You really want to have Yukimura in the room next door while we have sex?" she asked him.

"You've made your point," said Sanada, he sat down beside her and kissed her. Within seconds she had unbuttoned his shirt and Sanada had completely removed hers, he was practically on top of her, he broke away from her kiss and began to caresses her neck while Lenali unzipped his pants.

* * *

Lenali woke up warm in Sanada's arm, they had fallen asleep on his bedroom floor with their clothes scattered everywhere. She watched as he slept, he turned and whispered, "Yukimura." Lenali smiled sadly and stroked his cheek. She knew…she always knew…

* * *

"Sanada, let's stop this," said Lenali as she buttoned up her shirt, she knotted her tied and them slipped on her jumper. Sanada pulled up his pants as he asked.

"What?"

"This," she waved her hand at Sanada then at her. "Let's stop it," once fully dressed she put on her shoes and picked up her bag. Just as she opened the door Sanada held it firmly shut.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Our relationship is just a physical thing so I don't exactly care but…you… whenever you touched me you were thinking of Seiichi weren't you?" Sanada froze. "You called me 'Yukimura' when we had sex, at first I thought you were addressing me, but then I realised, isn't there a saying that when you have sex you call out to the person you love?"

"And yet you let me touch you."

"You were horny and I was willing," she replied. _I sound like a slut._ "Just tell him already, how you feel, his reply may surprise you."

"Thank you," said Sanada softly kissing her on the cheek, she felt as if someone had reach into her and squeeze her heart. Lenali pushed open the door and ran out of the house as fast as she could, tears forming in her eyes. She suppressed them, she ran and ran and ran, and stopping when she reached the local park she sat down on the bench.

_Why did I do that? Why? _She looked up, the sun was setting. _Sanada you idiot! I don't let just anyone touch me… maybe…I just wanted to stop lying to myself…he doesn't love me, he never will…ever…never ever will he look at me that way…_

"Ah! Lenali-chan!" Lenali looked to her left to see Marui; he walked towards her a white paper box in his hand. "You okay?"

"I was just rejected by the guy I had a crush since I was in year 3," replied Lenali honestly, strange, she felt so comfortable around him she blurted it out without thinking.

_Year 3? That's…5 years,_ calculated Marui. _What do I do? She doesn't _look_ upset, stoned, a bit but she's not crying or anything…_ He looked at the box in his hand and held it towards her; he closed his eyes as he made the tremendous sacrifice. "Here, Japanese green tea lava cake," he said, his face the same shade as his hair. Lenali opened the box to see a flat cylinder shaped cake inside.

"Thanks," she said, there was a plastic fork inside, she took out the fork and took a bite of the cake. "Just what I needed."

"How is it?" asked Marui, Lenali smiled.

"Excellent." Maui felt his face go red.

"I-I'm glad you like it," he replied looking down at his hands. _What do I do? I've never comforted anyone in my life let alone a girl…Argh! My head feels like it's going to explode…_"It's his loss…I mean…he doesn't know a great person such as yourself who was right in front of him." _I sound like a complete idiot._ "You know, if you want to cry you can," said Marui. "You don't have to keep it bottled up inside, if you bottle too much inside you'll explode." _Explode?! What the hell am I saying?_

Lenali scooped the last of the cake and ate it; she rested her head against his shoulder. There was silence, but it wasn't awkward, neither side wanted to talk. He felt his shoulder dampen as she hid her tears.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"Please!" plead Kuwahara practically on his knee and his forehead on the floor. Niou knelt beside him.

"Why do I have to do this?" he muttered, Kuwahara slapped the back of his head and Niou bowed as well.

"Please," he asked in a bored voice.

"Wait why me?" asked Lenali.

"Because no one else wants to do it," replied Niou, Kuwahara slapped the back of his head again. Niou bowed. "I'm sorry. Please help us."

"Had you not suffered from the side effects of the 'Thorn road', you are the only person aside from Buchou, Fukubuchou and Yanagi to walk away from Akaya with only a bruise or less."

"A bruise and broken ribs," corrected Lenali. "Hardly less than a bruise."

"Better than Marui after his match with Akaya yesterday," Niou chuckled at the memory. "He walked off looking like a panda with red hair."

"Onegaishimasu," said Kuwahara.

"Why can't Bakada, Seii-nii or Yanagi play against him?" asked Lenali.

"Because they said no," replied Kuwahara.

"So if they say no you leave them alone but if I say no then you persist?"

"Yes!" Lenali rolled her eyes.

"Fine! I'll do it, but there's a price," she warned them.

"We know," Kuwahara held up a white paper box, she opened it to find the largest Green tea lava cake she had ever seen inside.

"How did you-?"

"Marui told us," replied Kuwahara.

_Within 2 day I've been bribed with the same cake_, thought Lenali. She closed the box. "Fine! Where is he?"

"Thank you!"

* * *

"You sure about this?" asked Kirihara as he and Lenali stepped onto the court.

"Enough talk, just serve," replied Lenali. There was no motivation what so ever on her face, she looked almost bored. _I don't want to do this…hell I'm not even sure that I want to play tennis at all…_

"So why is Lenali playing Akaya?" asked Marui blowing his gum, he had several bruised on his body as well as a sprained left wrist and a severally bruised ankle.

"If we leave Rikkai to Akaya next year I'm sure with his current level he can not fill in as captain," replied Yanagi. "We've decided to push Akaya past his limits."

"And does Lenali know this?"

"Nope."

"She's doomed," stated Niou.

"If she doesn't know, how will she push Akaya?" asked Yagyuu. "What if she plays a friendly match?"

"There's no motivation on her face," agreed Marui. _Is it because of Sanada?_

* * *

"5 games to 4!" shouted the referee.

"The match is different from the last one," noted Yagyuu.

"The last time she took the first 5 sets within 15 minutes," Yanagi checked his watch. "Almost 40 minutes have passed and she hasn't used the 'Thorn road' yet."

"What's going on?" asked Kuwahara. "Akaya, he seems to be enjoying the match, but there's no intensity."

"That's it!" remarked Yanagi. "She's keeping Akaya at bay by keeping his motivational levels low."

_Hers seem pretty low as well,_ though Marui. _It's like she doesn't even care if she looses. She's just retuning the ball, there's no plan…_

"I see, Akaya's bloodshot eyes come from his desire to win," explained Yanagi. "The way the match has progressed, he has every chance to win as he does to lose, he isn't corner and feels calm."

"So she lost 5 matches on purpose?"

"Akaya's tennis revolves around his pride, the moment his pride is attacked he goes berserk, she's keeping Akaya from reaching into his potential by playing a even match," stated Yanagi. "Mostly, she's going to draw into past the 13 point tie breaker and take two consecutive points from him."

"Ahh! Looks like it back fired," remarked Kuwahara.

_Like I said theirs is no plan, she just doesn't care about winning all that much right now,_ thought Marui shaking his head. _Talk about blowing things out of proportion._

* * *

"Game and match to Yukimura Lenali 7 games to 6!"

"Good match," said Kirihara reaching out to shake her hand. Lenali took his hand and shock it.

"Yeah," she agreed dully letting go and walking away.

"You okay?" asked Marui.

"Fine," she replied giving him the cold shoulder and walking away.

* * *

Lenali sighed, what was wrong with her, she walked towards the drink taps when she heard someone hiding in the trees she walked towards the training spot where she and Marui had eaten German cake. Peering from the corner of the building she saw Sanada and Yukimura talking.

Sanada looked embarrassed as he said something to Yukimura, she couldn't hear them but what Yukimura said made Sanada break into a smile she had never seen before, bending forward he kissed Yukimura gently on the lips. She looked away tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

"Lenali are you sure-" began Marui walking towards her but paused when he saw Sanada and Yukimura in an embrace. "Oh!" Lenali in haled slowly. Lenali didn't have any expression on her face but there was a single tear trickling down the side of her face.

Sanada and Yukimura walked towards them hand in hand and she quickly wiped her eyes.

"Lenali," said Yukimura waving at her, she smiled and waved back.

"You finally did it," she said to Sanada. All he did was nod. "Congratulations," she managed before her voice broke.

"You okay?" asked Yukimura.

"Fine, just I was watching 'Grave of the fireflies' last night so, I'm still emotional," she lied smoothly. "Ahh! Just thinking about the tin lollies is making my eyes water."

"You really should stop watching movies before bed," advised Yukimura, Lenali just shrugged.

"Who are you my mom?" The fact Sanada and Yukimura were holding hands seemed to bother her but only Marui noticed.

_She wants to cry but keeps it in_, as a tear escape Marui quickly covered her eyes with his hand.

"Argh! Hurry already! We're going already!" he complained like a whining child who had waited too long for his friend turning Lenali's head away from Sanada and Yukimura so they wouldn't see her cry he took her hand and walked away.

"Wait Marui, where are we-?" Marui led her to another one of his hiding places.

"That was too cruel," he said to her once he was sure they weren't followed. "Sanada-fukubucho, he's the guy right? The one you liked since you were in year 3?" Marui could feel tears streaming down his cheeks. "That's too cruel… that…."

"Why are you crying?" asked Lenali.

"Because you won't," replied Marui. "You just keep it bottle up inside… Sanada-fukubucho is a jerk and… he doesn't deserve to have you like him." Lenali smiled burying her face against his collar bone.

"Thank you," she said softly he voice wavered as she wept quietly. "Thank you Bunta." Marui found himself in an awkward situation; uncertainly he placed his arms around her.

Lenali sobbed quietly against his chest holding onto his T-shirt, Marui placed a hand against the back of her head and brought her closer embracing her as she cried. He was jealous, jealous that she'd cry away from Sanada and Yukimura in hope of not causing them trouble, jealous that she liked him so.

_I wonder… if I'll ever find someone who'd cry for me so._ He asked himself.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"500 yen says his above 25," said Niou.

"1000 says it's a Chinese this time," said Akaya.

"Aren't you going to bet?" Kuwahara asked Marui, he shrugged.

"10,000 says he has black hair and is above 175 in height," he said. _Sanada has black hair and above 175…_

"You're on," said Niou hitting him lightly on the shoulder.

"What are you doing?" asked Yukimura walking towards them.

"Nothing," Niou grinned sheepishly which caused Yukimura to raise an eyebrow.

"Let's just say I believe you, 5 laps, all of you," he replied. The regulars groaned and began their laps, Sanada walked towards Yukimura and stood behind him; secretly their fingers touching as they exchanged smiles.

"Seii-nii," said Lenali walking towards them. "I'm heading off," she told them.

"Where?" asked Yukimura.

"Out," replied Lenali.

"Where to?"

"Not home," she replied. A tall boy black hair and wearing glasses walked towards them and wrapped his arms around her waist in a friendly cuddle.

"Shall we go?" he asked. Lenali turned her head and smiled.

"Sure," she said, just as she turned to leave Yukimura grabbed her wrist.

"You're staying here while I change and we're going home," he said firmly, she yanked out of his grip with ease.

"Who do you think you are my father?" she asked. Niou groaned as he handed Marui a 10,000 yen note.

"Damn," he cursed.

"Lenali," said Sanada warningly. "Yukimura is just worried about you."

_Like you cared about me!_ Lenali swallowed. "Kyo, go ahead okay?" The one named Kyo nodded and walked away. "I grew up depending on me and me alone, you don't need to watch out for me, save it and use the energy to recover."

"Lenali," pleaded Yukimura. "Don't do this." Lenali just smiled sadly at him and Sanada and walked away. "What happened? She's been like that for weeks."

"She'll be fine," said Sanada. Marui, who had finished his laps walked up to Sanada and punched him in the face.

"BAAAAAKA!" he shouted with all his strength. "It's entirely your fault you know!" With that he stormed away. Yukimura was too shock to speak.

"What do you think he meant by that?" he asked Sanada, strange enough Sanada didn't look angry, just in deep thought.

_Baaaka! Baka! Baka! Baaaka!_ Thought Marui as he stormed away, he knew there would be consequences for hitting Sanada but right now, he didn't care, because of him Lenali changed. She closed off her heart, she was cold to everyone even Yukimura. During the trial for custody of Lenali, she had told the entire jury what her life had been like, from her father never being home and her mother's infatuation with material goods, there had been talk of sending her to live with a different relative, in Michigan. One quote stood out from the rest though:

"_I remember this one time, I wanted a white Christmas, so once mum's lover, who was a cocaine addict, he accidently dropped his stash and the power went everywhere and we all had a good time."_

Marui pouted and felt his eyes water, she was in pain, every time she saw the two together, every time they smiled, he could see her cry inside.

Since that day when Yukimura and Sanada started dating she had a string of boyfriends none lasting for more than a few days to the point the regulars (except for Yukimura and Sanada; of course) had started a bidding game.

* * *

Marui walked up the stairs to the school roof, he knew she'd been there as she usually would after a wild night. He looked around the roof when Lenali's voice called out to him from above. He turned around to see her sitting on top of the door's roof. She was pale, her eyes bloodshot and she looked tired.

"You okay?" asked Marui, he climbed up the ladder and knelt beside her. She lied down on the concrete and closed her eyes.

"I feel horrible," she admitted. Marui took out a hot water bottle of Rose tea, it didn't cure the hangover but it was good for her and she liked the taste putting her in a better mood.

"What time?" he asked, his usual question.

"Until 4 am," she replied taking a sip. "I left before the other guys had the chance to drug me, don't worry," she said to Marui's alarmed face. "I'm not that dumb."

"With Kyo this time then," said Marui. Lenali shook her head.

"No, Kyoya is too goodly two shoes to go out partying; his dad's liquor cupboard is unlocked for him anyway. Kyoya's family runs a hospital, I wanted to go and thank his father for helping me before."

"He cuddled you."

"We've known each other since we were in double digit centimetres," she replied. "We're friendly, anyway, I'm pretty sure he's gay, his jeans are too tight for a straight."

"I see," Marui looked at Lenali.

The countless sleepless nights had formed bags under her eyes, her skin had a dull, lifeless tinge while her previous smiling face had become abstemious, when they say love changed a person, they weren't lying. Yet to him, she was still beautiful, to him she was still kind, she still smiled kindly to him.

He loved her, now, he knew that, yet she loved Sanada, she played tennis for 5 years for a reason to speak to him, to get to know him, to get him to notice her yet all her efforts were in vain. She'd given up, she didn't believe in love again, but _he_ loved her, but he'd rather keep it to himself than risk loosing his place by her side.

**A/N: I feel this story has taken a turn for sin city, so should I keep it down this path? Or should I bring it back to a more innocent level? Plz review**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"Hey, did you see those cars waiting outside?" whispered a first year from the Rikkai tennis club. "I swear it was as if the Yakuza's here."

"Hey! You freshmen!" Shouted Niou. "No chattering during club hours!"

"Hai! Senpai!"

"Now come over here and tell us what you're talking about, what cars?" asked Niou looking at the tinny freshmen.

"Well, since the regulars start practice an hour earlier than we do, we come to school later you see," stuttered one of the freshmen. "And well, outside, all these black cars are parked, all in a row, my mum was really angry cuz there were no parking spaces…and well, yeah, that's it."

"Black cars," mused Niou. "What model?"

"Ummm…I think they were porches," he turned to his friend. "You said you recognised the model didn't you?"

Yeah, they were-"

"Porsche turbo 911 type 964," said Yukimura walking towards them.

"Yeah, how did you know Yukimura-Bucho?"

"Because it's Lenali's father's favourite model."

Marui ran with all he had the moment her heard the news, what was her father doing here!? Lenali was under enough pressure and stress, she didn't need more. What if he had come to take her away? What if her intended to lock her up? Every thought that ran through his mind made him run faster and faster, he needed to find her, not just for her sake, but for his as well.

"Where is he going?" asked Yagyuu.

"No, he's right," said Yukimura. "We have to find Lenali."

"Simple, just follow the trail of condoms and empty bottles," said Niou, a hand whacked him at the back of his head with so much force he almost fell over. "Ow! I kid! I kid!" He turned to see it was Sanada who had hit him.

"You think it's funny do you? How about I give you a lesson on when's the right time to joke?" asked Sanada.

"No, no need, I'll be good, I swear."

* * *

Lenali yanked at the hands that held her still, the two men were both bald and dress in dark suits with matching glasses, she'd laugh at them had they grabbed her before she could.

"Let go of me!" she exclaimed tugging and pulling.

"My daughter," she froze, looking up she saw a middle age man, his face creased from stress and work, black eyes and greying hair and dressed in a grey and black pinstripe suit.

"Hello Qiqiue," she replied. "What's the meaning of this?"

"You're coming home, and then I'm sending you to a place where your mother can't touch you."

"I can handle myself," replied Lenali.

"Nights out partying, drinking, smoking and don't deny it I can smell the tobacco from here! You're going to boarding school; hopefully there you'll smarten up." Marui, Yukimura, Sanada, Yagyuu and Niou rand around the school searching for Lenali, arriving just in time to hear where her father intended to send her.

"Uncle," said Yukimura quietly slowing down once the two were in sight.

"Boarding school?" echoed Marui.

_That's her old man?! No wonder she turned out the way she did!_ Thought Niou now knowing better than to say it out loud.

"No! You have no right! I'm no longer in your custody!" shouted Lenali.

"You're my daughter! I have every right!"

"I'm not going you hear me?! If you wanted to be a good father, why were you never there! Why weren't you ever home!? You're either at work or in bed with your mistresses!-" Her father slapped her across the face just as the guards let her go; she fell to the floor, her cheek now red.

"Uncle what are you doing!?" Yukimura raced to her side steps behind Marui who was already helping her up.

"You ungrateful child! You wretch! I wish I never had a daughter like you!"

"When you had me, what you wanted wasn't a child, but an obedient little girl who would do as you say, a puppet is what you wanted! Sorry for disappointing you!" shouted Lenali. Her father looked shocked at her words. "Even if it was a puppet that you wanted, even a puppet needs love and care!"

Her father looked away and turned around to leave, his body guards followed him.

Lenali's eyes were watering. "You okay?" asked Marui gently touching it with a cool finger.

"Yeah, I'm fine, I'm just relived, I finally said it," replied Lenali her lie so smooth even Yukimura believed it. "It stings a bit as well."

_You ungrateful child! You wretch! I wish I never had a daughter like you!_

_I wish I never had you!_


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"ichibyou goto ni kimi ga ITOSHII

zutto... mune no kodou ga hibiite iru

futari de aruku kaerimichi futo damarikomu

bukiyou de tsutaerarenai omoi

ashi haya ni yuku shiki no naka

donna Scene demo sugu soba de kimi wo mite itanda

futo guchi zusamu suki na Phrase

moshimo kimi nara donna ne iro wo kanaderu darou

ichibyou goto ni yaki tsuketetai kimi wo

suneta shigusa mo warai kao mo

kimi wo irodoru subete ga ima, kaze ni mai nagara

yasashiku tsutsumu...

kimi ga hitomi wo kagayakase hanashite kureta

hateshinai yume egaku Story

ano toki kimi wa, mayotteta boku no senaka wo

sarige naku oshite itanda ne

100% ima wo ikiteru

kimi wa dare yori kirameite iru taiyou no you ni

tatta hitori ni deaeta kiseki fukaku

kimi wo shiritai kizutsuite demo

ichibyou goto ni kimi ga ITOSHII

zutto...mune no kodou ga hibiite iru

itsuka wa kitto tsuyosa to iu tsubasa wo hirogete

mamori tsuzukeru

dare yori kimi wo"

Sang a sweet soprano voice on the roof, tears trickled down her cheeks as she sang. The song was of love, yet her eyes said she was in pain, her voice sang the song in a sad way while her sense of responsibility and common sense were clouded. She was in her own world, expelling all the horror in her life, the sorrow and painful memories; she closed her mind from it all.

* * *

"Do you hear that?" asked Marui, the sound of a singing voice caught his attention. Kuwahara listened carefully.

"Surprisingly, yes actually," he replied. "Where's it coming from?"

"Oh no," said Yagyuu looking up to the roof of the school building.

"What?" asked Niou looked up, his mouth fell open. "I can see her underwear from here, white with black lace, never imagined her as the-" Yagyuu covered Niou's mouth with his hand.

"What do we do?" he asked.

"Hurry and tell a teacher," said Marui dropping his tennis bag. "I'm going up there after her." He ran without even listening to what the other's had to say.

"What now?"

"We better hurry," said Kuwahara picking up Marui's discarded tennis bag. "Luckily the school's empty except for club activities and teachers this time of the day."

* * *

"Lenali!" exclaimed Marui pushing the metal door to the roof open.

Lenali had climbed over the steel fences that surrounded the roof to prevent students from falling off the roof; she sat on the brick wall a bottle in her hand. She was singing to herself, the same song again and again.

"Lenali," said Marui walking towards her slowly, Lenali stopped singing when she noticed him.

"Bun-Bun!" she exclaimed happily and stood up, she dropped the bottle and she peered over and watched as it hit the floor and smashed into tiny pieces. "Oops," she said quietly covering her mouth with her hand. "Oopsies," she giggled cheerfully as she jumped on the spot and turned around. "Bun-Bun! Came to play?" she asked.

Marui had never seen her so carefree, so childish, was she drunk? No, even when she was drunk she didn't giggle this much, a empty plastic bottle was at his feet, he bent down and picked it up, it was labelled 'Valium'.

"Lenali, are you okay?" asked Marui cautiously walking closer to the fence. She giggled.

"I drank milk that tasted funny," she giggled again.

"Did something happen?" She kept giggling. "Lenali," he practically begged as he spoke.

"Okay," she said, she leaned in closer towards him. "Mama smokes in the car, god is fine with it but you can't tell Papa."

"Lenali how much did you drink?" Marui looked at the empty bottle on the floor, several pills were scattered as well. "Why do you have Valium?" Lenali smiled and giggled again.

"Well, let's see, I had, one," she looked up and frowned as she counted. "Two, three, three bottle of champagne and a bottle of red wine-" she peered over the building to the smashed bottle on the ground. "-which I did not finish because I dropped it." Lenali giggled again. "Oopsies."

"Why do you have Valium?" asked Marui again. Valium is commonly used for treating anxiety, insomnia, seizures, muscle spasms and alcohol withdrawal.

"Kyokichin's papa gave it to me," said Lenali smiling.

"Kyokichin?" He suddenly thought of the man named Kyoya who was with her before. "That tall guy with glasses?" asked Marui, she giggled and nodded.

"Yep, he prescribed two pills a day you know," she said seriously, then chuckled. "I put it in my evening milk and it makes it taste funny." She wrinkled her nose. "I don' like that but I can sleep at night now."

"Okay, good to know, well umm," Marui's brain was racing as he tried to think of a way to get her back inside the fence. "Umm, Lenali, let's play a game together okay?"

"Yeah!" She jumped on the spot and stumbled but managed to regain her balance before Marui had a heart attack, they were five stories high. "What are we playing Bun-Bun? How about Tiggy? I'm good at that."

"Umm, okay," agreed Marui, his heart was beating faster than in a match. "Okay, yeah, sure, why don't you climb over the fence and we'll play together."

Lenali nodded and began to climb, suddenly the door slammed opened and they both jumped in fright.

**A/N: She delusional now, delusional Lenali is fun to write but alas bad things happen…so what's going to happen? Review and wait until the next chapters comes…**

**A/N2: The English lyrics of the song she sang **

Once again, you're so dear to me for now; can you hear the beating of my heart?

We walked together, completely silent, on the road home.

I clumsily try to convey my thoughts to you

We walk quick paced no matter what season it is,

I just always want to see you by my side

With just the two of us, I lean toward you,

Maybe I could stay by your side for all eternity

No matter what.

Once again I want to burn this memory into my mind,

For one day we may not be friends no longer.

I'll paint with your colours,

I'll keep this memory even from the wind

Protecting it from everything

Once again, you smile at me;

A smile that melts away, all the pain

Can't you hear the beating of my heart?

We walked together, completely silent, on the road home.

I clumsily try to convey my thoughts to you

We walk quick paced no matter what season it is,

I just always want to see you by my side

With just the two of us, I lean toward you,

Maybe I could stay by your side for all eternity

no matter what.

Once again I want to burn this memory into my mind,

For one day we may not be friends no longer.

I'll paint with your colours,

I'll keep this memory even from the wind

Protecting it from everything

I have the song on my youtube account just search CRESCENDO Violin & Piano Version


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: It's the holidays so I'll be updating and starting several new stories, hope you'll like them**

**A/N2: Valium DOES EXIST, wiki it [I love saying (typing) that, wiki it; so fun to say]**

**Chapter 9**

The door slammed opened, standing in the doorway was Lenali's father, Yukimura Len. He was panting slightly, his suit wrinkled and there was sweat on his forehead.

_That was quick_, thought Marui. _Did he run all the way?_

"Papa!" exclaimed Lenali throwing her arms in the air. "You remembered our promise!" She giggled happily.

"Promise?" asked Marui. Lenali leaned forward slightly as she whispered.

"Papa always promised to play tennis with me and now-" her voice went a notch higher. "-he's _finally_ keeping his promises." Finally keeping his promises? Has he never ever…?

"Lenali, what are you doing!? Get down from there!" demanded her father. "Now! Honestly why are you such a troublesome child?!"

The smiled vanished from Lenali's face.

"Papa, why are you yelling at me?" Her eyes began to tear. "Why papa? Why are you always yelling at me!?" She began to weep quietly, Marui was tempted to just glare at him but focused on Lenali.

"Hey Lenali," he said gently. "Hey, stop crying now, you're a very pretty girl, if you don't smile I'll be the only one who sees it." Lenali sniffed and wiped her tears.

"Really?" she asked, she looked like a small child seeking approval from her parents.

"Really," said Marui. Lenali sniffed again and dried her eyes, she smiled at him sweetly, and Marui felt his heart skip a beat. He really has fallen in love with her. He reached through the steel net gate. "Come back inside okay?" Lenali reached nervously for his hand but pulled her hand back. She shook her head.

"I don't want to," she said meekly. "I don't want to go back there, I don't want to be lock up again, I don't want to go back to that place." Her voice sounded like a child, her eyes were tearing. Locked up?! Marui looked at her father with a shocked expression on his face.

"I, I," began Yukimura Len. "Lenali, sweetheart I'm sorry, I should have been home more, I'm sorry I left you with that horrible woman."

Lenali covered her ears and fell to her knees. "No! I don't want to hear it! Papa's lying again, I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! You liar! Mama said you're tumbling with another woman! Mama said you'd rather be with them than me! Mama said you don't love us anymore!"

"Lenali, that's not true sweetheart," said her father. "I love you, I do-"

"But you hit Mama!" she shouted crying now; Marui felt his heart being ripped from his chest as he watched her, he couldn't speak, he didn't know what to say. "Mama said…Mama said," she inhaled. "I'm next…"

"Lenali, come home, we'll make things better okay?" He walked towards her. "We can't change the past but we can change the future come home okay? We'll spend more time together, just the two of us…"

"Don't come near me!" she screamed taking a step back, Marui gasped as she almost fell backwards.

"Stop it," he said fiercely grabbing Yukimura's arm. "Can't you see you're making it worse?"

"This is a family matter, you shouldn't even be here," replied Lenali's father with a sneer.

"Stop it! Don't hurt Bunta!" begged Lenali. "Don't hurt him! Don't hurt him like you hurt Yuu-tan!" Yukimura froze and let go of Marui's arm.

"Lenali, I didn't I swear I didn't touch him," he began.

"You said you'd kill him if he came near me again," said Lenali, tears kept trickling down her cheeks. "He's gone, he's gone…AND IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!" she screamed.

"Lenali, I swear I didn't touch him," Yukimura Len was practically on his knees begging. "It was an accident, his death was an accident, Lenali, I swear, I swear I didn't touch him."

"He's gone," she whispered again and again. "He's gone and it's all your fault! If you never came back! If only you stayed in Paris with that, that _whore_!"

The steel door to the roof slammed open once more, this time four people raced to the roof. Two were very familiar to Marui, Yukimura and Sanada while the other two seemed to be in their late thirties and early forties, one was a female with wavy dark blue hair and blue eyes while the other was a man with greying black hair and taller more muscular build. With having to know their names Marui knew they were Yukimura's parents.

"Oh god! Nali-chan," gasped the woman.

"Lenali," exclaimed Yukimura.

"Baka," muttered Sanada.

"Ah! Seii-nii, Bakada, Oga-san, Otou-san! What are you all doing here?" asked Lenali, wiping her eyes and smiling. "What's with those expressions?"

"Lenali, what are you doing?" asked Yukimura and began walking towards them. She giggled.

"I don't know," she admitted.

"Baka! Get back inside the gate!" remarked Sanada. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Don't you dare talk to my daughter like that!" sneered Yukimura Len.

"Stop it!" shouted Lenali. "Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!" she screamed. "Why are you all here!? Leave me alone! I hate you all! All of you! Leave me alone!"

"Lenali," said Sanada firmly. "What are you talki-"

"I hate you!" she began to cry again. "You knew how I felt! You knew how I felt about you! Why is it him and not me?! Why can't my feelings never reach you!?" she sobbed and wiped her eyes. "I hate you! Both of you! It's not fair! Why Seii-nii of all people! Why can't it be someone I can easily hate?!"

Yukimura's mouth fell open as he looked between Sanada and Lenali. "Geiinichirou, you have something to tell me?"

"I hate you! Why are you so nice to me when you do things that hurt me so much?" whimpered Lenali, she stood up slowly. "I hate it! I hate this world! Why is life so hard!? Why can't it just be over?" She looked daze, as if she could no longer make the right decisions.

"Lenali!" exclaimed Marui. "Don't! Please, don't! I'm begging you! Just come back inside, please, I 'm begging you, if not for you, for me, please!"

"Why?" whispered Lenali, a single tear trickled down her cheek.

"Because…because I really like you," said Marui. "For ages, ever since we ate that German cake Yukimura-bucho gave you."

"Liar," said Lenali, she closed her eyes. "All of you, liars, you promised me," she said quietly. "You promised me you'd be there, you promised you stay by my side no mater what happened, you liar, you liar."

_Who's she talking about? What's she talking about?_ Pondered Marui.

"Everyone lies, I hate it," she whispered. "I hate it…"

"Lenali! Please don't!"

"Why not?" said Lenali softly.

Marui began to climb the fence, Sanada grabbed his ankle but Marui kicked him back and climbed over and jumped down on the cement.

"What are you doing?" asked Lenali.

"If you'll jump I'll jump with you," replied Marui firmly.

"Liar," whispered Lenali. Marui smiled sadly. "Why are you doing this?"

"This is the first time I've ever fallen in love so," he said honestly. "I honestly don't know what I will do without you in this world."

"Baaka! People fall in and out of love all the time," said Lenali. Marui smiled and walked toward Lenali.

"Maybe my action are a bit naïve and green of me to be doing this but…I'll take a chance," he said, he took her hand in his. "You've been alone, all this time. You deserve better." Lenali looked down; Marui walked towards her and embraced her. "Come on, let's go back, back t that horrible world, but this time, I'll be here, okay?" Lenali nodded and held him closer.

"Thank you," she said quietly. "Thank you, thank you Bunta." Marui felt his eyes tear as well; he let her go and looked her in the eye.

"Let's go back," he said taking a step back. "Back to-"as he took another step back he foot slipped off the edge of the roof.

**A/N: Be honest, did you see that coming? As I said on the last chapter ****review and wait until the next chapters comes…**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"Marui! Watch out!" exclaimed Sanada. Marui felt as if he was falling for minutes not seconds, the felling of not touching anything, the feeling of nothingness. Lenali gasped and reached forward, memories suddenly poured out from the locked draw at the back of her mind.

"_It's a pleasure to meet you," said a tall black haired male, he wore a thick and very warm looking black jacket over his school uniform and his curly black hair was a mess around his face, but there was no denying it, he was hot. He stood at the front of the classroom introducing himself and feeling like an idiot as almost everyone stared at him. 'I'm Kurama Yuu, nice to meet you."_

"_Since he's new here, I'll be pairing him with one of the students," said the teacher. "Any volunteer?" Many hands went up but it seemed as if they had other motives. "Yukimura-san," said the teacher to a girl staring blankly outside the window, she didn't turn around. "Yukimura-san…Yukimura-san." Finally a student poked her in the shoulder and she turned around. "Kurama-kun go sit next to Yukimura-san, she'll be your guide for the first few weeks okay." Kurama walked over and sat next to her._

"_Hello," he greeted her; she looked at him blankly once and then looked at the board. _She's…strange…

_She didn't say a word during class, even during lunchtime she was flipping through a thick book, at first Kurama thought it was a novel but he looked over her shoulder to see it was a catalogue for a VERY expensive brand._

"_Don't mind her," said a female classmate. "She's always like that, even during group projects, she tells you what she's doing then cuts herself away from the rest."_

"_That catalogue she's reading, window shopping or…?" he trailed._

"_No, her father's going to Australia for business, promised her to buy anything she wanted so she's creating a list, had a Prada and Channel catalogue yesterday," replied another female._

"_Can he dad really afford all that," he could see the list she had written up, it was a long and very pricey list._

"_He's really rich apparently, I heard from my mom that her mom's a former prostitute but when they found out she was pregnant they couldn't let one of their seeds be raised in that sort of place and forced her to retire and marry him."_

"_But she sneaks out sometimes to dance at strip clubs," added another._

A stripper for a mom?_ Thought Kurama. _Explains why she's so pretty.

"_Why are you following me?" asked Lenali as she walked to the library._

"_You're my partner, you're supposed to guide me," replied Kurama._

"_Get one of the girls in class to guide you," she replied._

_Kurama tilted his head to the side. "You're not a girl?" Lenali rolled her eyes and walked into the girl's toilet and never came out. Kurama walked around the back to see there was another door._

"_Leave me alone!" said Lenali as Kurama appeared at the doorsteps of her home._

"_Wow! What a large mansion!" remarked Kurama. "You really are a spoilt little princess." Lenali slammed the door in his face._

"_You ungrateful wretch! I wish I never married you!" Lenali covered her eyes and hid on the balcony as her parents argued. A warm arm wrapped over her shoulder, she looked up through her tearful eyes to see Kurama smiling gently at her._

"_Why are you here!?" demanded Lenali._

"_I saw bruises on your arms, leg, neck and back," he explained. "You hide them well but not well enough for my eyes, I got worried when I saw a whole but of fresh ones so I decided to investigate."_

"_Stalker," replied Lenali._

"_Only to you," said Kurama. "I think I've fallen in love." He leaned forward to kiss her on the lips but she turned her head to the side, he settled for her cheek. "Maybe in time," he grinned._

"_Don't you come near my daughter!" shouted Lenali's father. "Stay away from her or I'll kill you!"_

"_I'll be back," promised Kurama as he fled. Lenali sighed._

I know,_ she thought to herself._

"_Where to go?" asked Kurama holding Lenali's hand, she had snuck out from her prison of a home to meet him._

"_Anywhere," she replied. The light turned green and Kurama took a step forward across the crossing when…_

"_WATCH OUT!" screamed a woman. The happen all too fast, a red car swirled past a red light and towards them, Kurama pushed her aside but in doing so he was hit by the car._

_There was blood everywhere, everything was red. Kurama just laid on the tar, unmoving, she poked him gently._

"_Yuu-tan," she said quietly her voice filled with fear. "Yuu, why aren't you blinking? Yuu, move already, Yuu please, don't go, don't leave me alone." Tear trickled down her cheeks, warm liquid flowed from Kurama's body covering the tar road, soaking his clothes and spilling on Lenali. She screamed._

"Bunta," Lenali reached for his hand and grabbed it, falling with him. Holding his hand tightly in hers she wrapped her arms around him.

* * *

"Lenali!" shouted her father.

"Marui! Lenali!" exclaimed Yukimura, Sanada turned and ran down the stairs; from the top the two looked asleep, asleep in a sea of red. It was almost as if Lenali lay asleep on the grass while Marui rested his head against her chest.

* * *

The emergency door pushed open, and two trolleys carrying two unconscious bodies were moving at an extremely fast pace.

"What happened?" asked a doctor.

"The two fell from the roof of a school building, patient one only suffered mild concussion, a few fractured and bruised ribs and a dislocated ankle," replied a nurse.

"Fell from a roof and only that much damage?! It's a miracle," remarked the doctor, but his face fell. "And the second?"

"The first patient's blow was softened by the second; the second patient wrapped their arms around the first and protected the first with the second's body. Several broken bones, two fractures to the skull, heavy blood loss, and also…"

* * *

"Can we see them?" asked Yukimura to the nurse.

"Not yet," she replied. "The patients are still receiving treatment; you'll be happy to know one has already regain consciousness and is complaining about the pain."

"Which one? The boy or the girl?" asked Sanada.

"Umm…aren't they both girls?" Yukimura raised an eyebrow as did Sanada. "I'm not sure actually…"

"That fool, if he was going to fall why did he drag my daughter down with him?!" muttered Lenali's father as he sat waiting. Almost two hours had passed, the rest of the regulars gathered in the hospital, Marui's parents and siblings were downstairs at the café waiting for news.

Niou grabbed him by the collar to many people's surprise. "If it weren't for Marui Lenali would probably be in the morgue right now, show some respect," he snarled at him. Yukimura Ren grabbed Niou's collar.

"Is this how you youngsters treat your seniors?" he asked.

"Stop it, both of you," said Yagyuu pulling Niou back while Sanada and Yukimura pulled the other one back.

"Everything will be alright, Senpai-tachi are sturdy, they'll be back on the court with a cha cha," remarked Kirihara, surprising to everyone, he was tearing.

"Marui has his sugar power," said Kuwahara.

"And Lenali her inhuman strength," added Niou, Yagyuu slapped the back of his head. "Hey! Why me?" A nurse exited the room.

"Can we go inside?" asked Sanada as quickly as she stepped out. She blushed and nodded.

"Sure, the patient's already awake," she replied. They pushed through the door into the room.

It was a private room; the patient was sitting up on the bed and looking out the window, bandaged all over, when noticing the commotion the patient turned to look at them.

"What's wrong?" asked the patient. "You won't get rid of me that easily." Kuwahara almost cried as he threw his arms around his doubles partner. "Hey!" he exclaimed alarmed. "I hit my head but it doesn't make me swing that way…"

**A/N: Marui is alive, the end of the story. JK.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

"Hey, what's with your expressions? I won't die that easily," said Marui cheerfully. "So where's Lenali," no one said anything. "Did she run away because she freaked out over my confession?" Marui sighed. "I thought she'd so drunk she wouldn't remember it but oh well…So how is she?"

"Marui, don't you remember?" asked Yukimura.

"I remember falling, and then I saw Lenali's face and nothing after that why?" asked Marui. Everyone looked down, Kirihara was already crying and Yukimura's eyes were tearing. "Hey, you guys, I'm alive!"

"Lenali, she…" began Yukimura. "She wrapped her arms around you and absorbed most of the impact from the fall, because it wasn't very high neither of you suffered any major damage but…" he trailed off unable to continue.

"She hit her head against a rock," finished Sanada. "Her heart is still beating because of life support…"

"…They say she may never open her eyes again," Yukimura was crying, Sanada placed an arm around his shoulder.

"That can't be," said Marui. "No, that can't be, why would she? She didn't, she couldn't have…"

"Marui," said Kuwahara. "That's what happened…she…"

"No, she's alive, she breathing, she's walking, she's alive," said Marui his eyes widened.

"Marui, she's…"

"No, she's right there," Marui pointed at the doorway, there stood a woman, her face, her black hair, her brown eyes, they were Lenali's.

"Marui!" shouted Niou. "Stop it…"

"But, she's right there…" Sanada turned around, his eyes widened as well, was he hallucinating?

"Lenali?" he asked, his voice filled with doubt.

"What?" Everyone turned around, she really was standing there, a kind smile on her face, and relief passed though the tennis club regulars, all but one of them.

"It's been a while Anita," said Yukimura.

"It has Nii-sama," replied the girl.

* * *

"Everyone, this is Yukimura Anita," introduced Yukimura. "She's Lenali's and mine cousin."

"Hello," said Anita smiling kindly. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Here to visit Lenali?" asked Yukimura, she nodded, the smile faded.

"Nee-sama was in the room next door and I heard your voice so I came here," she explained slightly embarrassed. "Hello," she said again.

'Hi's and 'Hello's echoed in reply.

* * *

As Marui stayed in hospital to recover the regulars all visited him regularly, Anita; who was very close to Lenali; would visit him as well when she went to visit Lenali, peeling him an apple or cutting up an Orange for him.

"Marui, you know she's not-" began Yagyuu two weeks or so after the fall.

"I know she's not Lenali," said Marui. "Anita has a kind smile that is easily like but she's not Lenali. Lenali had a hot temper and sharp tongue but she had a way to make you fall on your knees before her…she had that sort of charisma." Marui smiled sadly.

The word 'had' had a chilling effect on them all.

"Lenali, she had the making of a Queen, didn't she?" said Yagyuu. Marui shook his head.

"An Empress, a Queen has it easy, the king can marry only one so she lives her life at peace and with ease. An Emperor had many concubines; the Empress is in danger of losing everything and anything at any given moment. The Empress fights, in her own way she fights…just like Lenali," said Marui.

"Empress…" pondered Yukimura. "Your right, she is more suited to such a title."

* * *

Lenali laid with her eyes closed on the soft bed of the hospital, wired plugged into her body, keeping her heart beating and her body live. Marui, walking with the help of a cane, entered her room, the window and curtains were open, letting the light and breeze in, she had enough of confined spaces and darkness.

"Hey Lenali," he said to her gently taking her hand in his. "The doctors said that talking to you would help so, here I am." He chuckled lightly. "I miss you, your foul temper and sharp tongue, the way you bitch about life and your sadistic sense of humour. Yet you look so peaceful right now," he said down on the bed and gently stroked her cheek.

"You're asleep, safe from the world, away from Sanada and Yukimura, you look so at ease." He kissed her hand. "Yet, why does my chest hurt so much?" his eyes were tearing. "I want to hear you laugh, to see you smile, to comfort your tears…I…I don't want you safe and at peace…I feel like a horrible person for wishing that but… I want you to open your eyes…"

His tears flowed from his eyes and down his cheeks, falling on Lenali's hands. He loved her, with all his heart.

"Hey, you don't need to give me an answer but," he leaned forward and whispered in her ear. "Let's go on a date together, just the two of us…you've never been to an amusement park or even a public cinema right?" He recalled a conversation the two had long ago. "So…it's a promise, just the two of us okay?"

He kissed her forehead.

* * *

"_What!? You've never been to an amusement park before!? Okay, next time you sneak out I'm taking you to the world's best amusement park! Luna Park!" declared a cheerful and mischief male voice, the owner's blue eyes twinkling._

"_Baaaka! That's all the way in Australia, Melbourne," replied a female voice. "You never think before you speak do you Yuu?"_

"_Oh is it? Oh yeah…I went there last year, I forgot, damn! We'll have to settle for the one in Tokyo then." Yet it never happened, that day he took her hand to take her there, he died…_

The memory was still fresh in her mind despite the years that had passed since then…yet at Rikkai; another soul said the exact same thing to her.

"_No way!? Never?" she shook her head. "Never ever been to an Amusement park? We're going! I'm taking you to one," another boy declared, all seriousness in his eyes even his pink hair was filled with determination._

"_**Let's go on a date together, just the two of us…you've never been to an amusement park or even a public cinema right... So…it's a promise, just the two of us okay?"**_

Lenali gasped for air as she opened her eyes, she looked around, where was she? Needles and wires stuck to her body.

"It's so sad isn't it?" said a voice outside her door.

"I know, two falling from the roof of the building, one brain dead …it must be horrible for the one who survived…"

"What school did this happen at?"

"If I remember correctly…Rikkaidai Fuzoku…"Lenali's heart sank.

_Marui…_

* * *

"What's going on?" asked Yukimura as he entered Lenali's room, the heart monitor no longer beeped. Wires on the floor after being pulled out and the bed…empty. Yukimura dropped the bouquet of flowers he'd brought with him, where was she? Did she? Was she…dead?


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

"Geiinichiro!" shouted Yukimura, Sanada; who was visiting Marui next door; raced into the room, he too froze in shook at the empty bed. "Get at doctor here, quickly!" Sanada nodded as he raced down the hall, Marui walked over to see what was wrong, when he saw empty bed his heart sank.

"What's the meaning of this?" he demanded grabbing Yukimura's collar. "Where is she!?" Suddenly the thoughts of the life support travelled trough his mind, could it be? Could Lenali's father have? Could he have turned off the life support?

"Yukimura," said Sanada as he jogged towards them a doctor not far behind.

"You bastard!" shouted Marui. "You turned it off didn't you!? You turned of the life support!" Yukimura felt his chest rip apart at the though, did he, no, would he do such a thing without discussing with the rest of them. The honest answer made it hard to breathe, yes, yes he would.

"Calm down," commanded Sanada, Marui closed his mouth. The doctor walked past and examined the equipment.

"The life support, it's still not turned off," said the doctor pressing a button. "Strange, what's going on?"

"Could she have…" began Sanada.

"Woken up?"

* * *

The eight Rikkai middle school regulars, Lenali's father, Yukimura's parents, the male named Uotari Kyoya and his father Uotari Katsu sat inside the doctor's office, waiting.

"Explain to me why you prescribed my daughter Valium?" asked Lenali's father Yukimura Len.

"She told me she couldn't sleep at night," replied Uotari Katsu. "Not that I could blame her, living in that hell hole of a home."

"Qiqiue," said Kyoya in a warning tone.

"Where could she have gone," whispered Yukimura's mother as she wept in her husbands arms. Yukimura looked down at his hands; Sanada reached forward and held his hand in his.

"How much longer do we have to wait?" demanded Niou.

"Patience Niou," said Yagyuu. Yanagi placed a arm over Kirihara's shoulder who had curled himself up into a ball.

"Hey," said Kuwahara as he clicked his fingers at the dazed Marui, Marui blinked and looked at his doubles partner who was kneeling beside him. "She's fine; if she survived falling off a roof she'll survive anything." Marui swallowed while Kirihara whimpered. Niou kicked Kuwahara in the rear end.

"Puri."

"Baka," said Yanagi, Yagyuu nodded in agreement.

The door opened and in entered a middle aged man wearing a white coat.

"Hello," he greeted them sitting down at his desk. "Well, judging from the feed of last night I can tell you with confidence that Lenali-san has woken up."

"What's the meaning of this?" asked Yukimura's father. "Just last week you told us she might never open her eyes again."

"There is no doubt she has suffered a severe blow from the fall, the damage to her brain is apparent but the amount was misjudged due to the mix signals of the alcohol, antibiotics and other drugs in her system. She may suffer from extensive memory loss to mind regression or maybe nothing at all… I do not know. While she was unconscious we cleansed her body from all the drugs in her system, including Velium, pain killers-"

"Pain killers?" interrupted Lenali's father.

"Lenali-san has a prescription of pain killers for when she fracture her ribs Yukimura-san," explained the doctor. "Judging from the screen results she is most likely in severe pain right now. The machines have recorded that she disappeared around 6 in the morning, giving her about 4 to 5 hours since, do you have any idea on where your daughter might has gone? A place with fond memory or where she feels at peace." Lenali's father opened his mouth to reply but closed it.

"What type of father are you not even knowing where your daughter might be?" asked Marui.

"You litt-"

"She might be at Rikkai," suggested Sanada.

"The street tennis courts," added Yagyuu.

"The local park," said Niou.

"The amusement park," said Marui, there was silence after he spoke. "She might be at Yukimura-bucho's house also."

"Shall we split up?" asked Yanagi. "Very well, Kirihara and I will search at Rikkai."

"Yagyuu and I will search at the local tennis courts," said Niou, Yagyuu nodded in agreement.

"I'll search for parks and other such locations then," said Yukimura. "Hahaue, Qiqiue, could you wait at home in case she's there?" His parents nodded.

"I'll check at the places she regularly goes," said Kyoya.

"I'll come," said his father, he reached into his pocket and removed several business cards. "If you find her please contact me," he said handing them to each pair.

"If you find her please bring her home," said Yukimura's mother. "And Seiichi-kun, take care."

"I'll be fine Hahaue."

"Let's go then," said Yanagi standing up.

"What about me?" asked Marui.

"You stay here," said Sanada. "If you come up with anything call my cell, don't worry we'll find her." Marui nodded.

* * *

Marui sat on his bed and looked out the window, footsteps entered his room and he turned his head, but his face fell when he realised it wasn't Lenali.

"May I help you Yukimura-san?" he asked Lenali's father who sat down on the chair beside the bed.

"I just…I just wanted to thank you," he said. "For what you did for my daughter, you cared more about her than I did."

"That's easily achieved," said Marui coldly.

"I was never there for her, I brought her everything she wanted in hope to repent for the times I wasn't home," he said looking down at his hands. "And when she found comfort in Kurama I drove him away eventually to his death, I wanted to keep her caged and locked up I suppose, I'm a horrible father..."

"Kurama, who was he to Lenali?" asked Marui. What she said, it stuck to him.

"_You promised me you'd be there, you promised you stay by my side no mater what happened, you liar, you liar."_

"Kurama Yuu I believe his name was," said Yukimura Len, he frowned in thought. "He and my daughter were very close."

"And you tried to frighten him away," guessed Marui.

"Indeed, but he kept finding ways to see her, one day she snuck out to go out with him and he was hit by a speeding car, he died right in front of her."

Suddenly everything made sense in his mind, Marui grabbed Yukimura Len's arm. "Where's Kurama Yuu's grave?" he demanded as it began to rain.

* * *

Lenali sat in the cemetery, wet and cold, yet she couldn't even feel it anymore, both her mind, her body numb. She rested her head against a tombstone and closed her eyes as tears hidden within the rain trickled down her cheeks.

"Yuu," she said softly. "Why? Why did you leave?" she asked weakly. "You promised, promised to stay by my side through everything, why? Why did you lie?" Her body felt weak, unable to move, and she felt tired, sleepy. Her eyes wouldn't stay open no matter how much she tried. "I almost loved you…" She drifted off to sleep, wishing never to have to open her eyes again.

**A/N: She's freezing to death; will Marui make it in time? Or will she leave him forever? Review and wait until the next and LAST chapter…**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

"Lenali!" shouted Yukimura, as he ran through the local park Sanada not far behind him. "Lenali!"

"Seiichi, calm down," insisted Sanada holding Yukimura's shoulders firmly in his arms. "Calm down, we'll find her, you are still recovering." Yukimura leaned back against Sanada's chest.

"I don't know what to do right now Geiichirou," whispered Yukimura. His mobile vibrated, he reached into his pocket and removed his cell phone. "Hello?"

"Bucho, we found Lenali," said Marui's voice, he sounded tired and weak, his voice was no more than a whispered and the sorrow was apparent. "We're taking her back to the hospital right now."

"How is she?" asked Yukimura.

"She's…" but Marui hung up.

* * *

Marui sat beside Lenali's father as the two sat in the back seat of his car to return to the hospital. Lenali's father sat in the front passenger seat next to his driver while Marui sat in the back, the cold body of Lenali in his arms.

He looked down at her face, tears trickled from her eyes even in her sleep. Marui stared at her, she was so small, so fragile, yet she was so full of emotion, he looked at her with wonder. She fascinated him, every tiny detail, every point, every aspect…she was, the one and even if she didn't feel the same, he just wished to stay by her side. To be by her side, that was all he wanted. Was he too late? Did he not make it in time to take her hand?

_Marui ran through the rain, Kurama Yuu's grave was here in this cemetery, running aimlessly to find his goal, there was no one here, no one but a tiny figure in the distance. Marui ran towards her, Lenali sat before Kurama's grave her head resting against the marble headstone, her eyes closed._

"_Lenali," he said gently shaking her, there was no response at first. Please, if you exist, the god I had no faith in please let me have made it in time._

_Slowly but surly, Lenali opened her eyes, Marui almost busted into tears of joy, she gazed aimlessly at him for a moment, when her fatigue began to pass she realized who he was._

"_Bunta," she whispered throwing her arms around him with tears of joy. "Baka! Don't leave! Don't leave me! Don't leave me alone in this world…where were you…I was so scared…so worried…" she sobbed, her touch was cold yet she was alive. "Baka! Baka! Baka!" she repeated over and over._

"_I'm sorry," whispered Marui. "I'm sorry I'm late Lenali my love."_

**3 years later…**

"I did it!" cheered Lenali happily throwing her arms in the air. "Yeah!" she cheered running down the busy street with her university acceptance forms in her hands. "I'm in!" Marui chuckled as he followed slowly behind her; she twirled and skipped in joy.

"I can't believe we **both** got into T University," he admitted. T Universities was one of the best in Japan, but although the two were attending the same University they would be taking different courses. "It'll kind of lonely though, most of the other guys are going to Rikkaidai." Lenali smiled and back traced her steps to him.

"It won't be lonely, I'll have you," she said taking his hand. Unlike Marui she did not escape the accident three years previous unharmed, from then on there was a slight tremble in his left hand that would start and end for an indefinite amount of time. Although it did not affect her daily life it brought back painful memories yet at the same time fond ones as well.

Marui looked at Lenali, since then she had stopped many of her old habits even the relationship with her father had gotten better, he was still very busy but he still made time for her and sometimes took her with him overseas on business trips. Lenali's natural gift of deceiving and trickery proved useful in her father's business relationships some even offering to marry her into their families, but he always refused saying his daughter chose her own life. For the first time, she was happy.

Yukimura and Sanada was still together, Marui couldn't tell if their relationship bothered her or not but she seemed genuinely happy for them.

"Do you even need me anymore?" he asked, although he intended to say this in his mind it slipped out through his lips. Lenali froze in her place and looked at him in the eye.

"Of course," she replied letting go of his hand and wrapping her arms around him. "Don't you dare leave me like someone else I know," she instructed.

"As long as you want me by your side, I will be here," said Marui, he loved her, his love still strong after three years, yet not once had she made any motion of feeling the same way, he'd almost lost hope.

"Baka! I'll always want you by my side," whispered Lenali, she kissed him on the lips, when they broke apart she rested her cheek against his shoulder. "I love you, there, I finally said it…"

Marui smiled, joy passing though his body and he held her in his arms, at last she was his, at last he had heard those three words from her lips. "I love you too…"

**The End**

**Wow, it's over, I feel kind of sad now…I originally intended to have her die and him falling into despair with another three chapters of him slowly recovering but I guess I'm a sucker for happy endings.**

**Thanks for reading these past 13 chapters! I have written a few other stories so feel free to read them!**


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